Book Launch Preparation

My dearest Ben,

Greetings from freezing Canada!

BEN YOU WANTED A FULL REPORT FOR THE BLOG.

HOPE THIS IS OK. 
THANKS LOVE YVETTE

BOOK LAUNCH REPORT - WITH PICTURES ALREADY VIEWED THROUGHOUT THIS BLOG.

My dearest Family and Friends Everywhere, It's exactly a week ago that I was at the Library Talking/Reading/Speaking/Explaining/and Signing my Books. I cannot tell you what a wonderful experience that was.

Thank you all of you who sent me good wishes and positive vibes for my Book Launch which went like a dream. The atmosphere was so fantastic. I didn't need those Butterflies in my stomach, but like my friend Carlos in Goa said, "Butterflies are good"...they kept m focused.

So this is what I said taking you to that evening.

Yvette de Souza-Muise
BOOK LAUNCH 23RD JANUARY 2013 

At the
 Antigonish Town Library

THE FIRST ADDRESS WAS GIVEN
BY EMCEE CATHERINE MACNEIL-MACDONALD 
WHO INTRODUCED ME.

Then it was my turn.

Hello Everyone,

It is so wonderful to welcome you on this cold January night to the Launching of my Book, here in this beautiful Library. Welcome one and all. Thank you for coming to see my Book, and to give me your moral support in my latest venture as an author and publisher of a Book. I hope you will not be disappointed.  Asante sana! Thank you very much

My first pleasurable job is to extend a Big Thank You to the Antigonish Town Library for so kindly offering to host a Book Launch for me. This is such a new experience for me, and it is so good to feel the warmth of the Library in such a welcoming way, through the efforts of Kristel Fleurin-Hunter who made this evening possible.

Thank Kristel for all you've done for Rabiznaz and me, from the beautiful poster you designed, to the PR in advertising this Book Launch, to setting us up here in this beautiful room, and with a reception to follow. Thank you Kristel!

Thank you Library!

Thank you too Tila Kellman for hooking me up with the Library for this event. Asante sana.

Next, I want to thank my dearest friend Catherine MacNeil-MacDonald.
We have been friends forever.

I met Cathy, as she is known to her friends, when my little sister Rhoda came to Canada in 1970. They had become best friends at St. FX University, and then ours.

Before long, Cathy became my little sister too, and our friendship has endured over four decades.

So how does Catherine fit into this Book Story?

After I finished writing My Book, I went to see Catherine about getting my copyright I didn't want to make a mistake, so Cathy helped me, with that wonderful smile on her face, and within one week I had the copyright hard copy, such an imposing document from Copyright Canada. I just had to frame it.

So thank you Cathy, and thank you too for agreeing to be the emcee tonight.

Thank you for your kind words, and your enduring friendship.

Most of all thank you for encouraging me to publish my Book.

Asante Sana, you'll hear me saying these words quite often and soon you'll be saying Thank you in Swahili too.

I must here also say thank you to Gladys MacDougall, Shirley MacDougall, Janet and Martien Bekkers for your kind assistance tonight.

Asante sana again
Now where shall I begin?

As I look around the room and see your eyes and smiles of friendship sending me positive vibes, I feel so good about this evening. Thank you for coming and making it special for me. This brings me to my Book!
Three months after my Shoulder surgery, in my quest for healing, I was looking at some old photographs in my computer when I came across seven pictures that my brother Ben who lives in London England, had sent me in 2010, of the Red Colobus Monkeys he had taken on his last visit to Zanzibar that year.
I thought they were lovely. One of the monkeys in the photographs caught my eye he was to become Rabiznaz.

So, who are the Red Colobus Monkeys? and who is Rabiznaz?

MY FRIENDS, THIS IS RABIZNAZ....MY DATE FOR TONIGHT. MY FRIENDS I GIVE YOU RABIZNAZ THE RED COLOBUS MONKEY WHO HAS STOLEN MY HEART."

That very night, after seeing Ben's pictures, The Red Colobus Monkey who had caught my eye, came to me in a dream!!! And that night the idea to write a story about these fascinating Red Colobus Monkeys was born. I was going to write a story for my grandchildren and my St . Ninian's Children's Choir of 40 years, and children everywhere, I could not wait for morning, to write down what I had dreamt, for I remembered everything.

This was the beginning of the first chapter in my Book entitled: Love, Light, Friendship, Faith and Discovery.

The second night of this dream saga, Rabiznaz spoke to me:-
" Alright Yvette , now that you've introduced me, I'm going to take over and tell the story. You just be a good girl and write down everything until I have finished saying what I want to say."

WOW! HOW COULD I RESIST???
Every morning I would hurry to my desk by the window to write for 20 to 30 minutes at a time...that was all I could do at one sitting because my left shoulder would start sagging and I would have to go and lie down on the sofa and find refuge in my ten pillows. This was the beginning of my therapy to wellness.

Thank you Doctor Rabiznaz, my newest therapist, only I didn't know it at the time. Now this went on for three months until the story was finished, chapter by chapter as the dream dictated....and little by little I began to forget my pain, as positives vibes flowed in and out of me. When I had put the last full-stop on the page, the story was completed and the dream was over. That was the end of November 2011.

I could not go back to the story until after Easter 2012, to start my fair copy of the Book.

I set up my desk at the window once again and then went to Staples to buy my paper. I chose 11x17 inches card stock which I cut down to 11x15 big mistake as I was to find out later not Copier compatible for printing and I chose to hand write in print form and illustrate and illuminate my story in its entirety.

As I wrote, and illustrated, I was totally drawn into the story. And then I got the brilliant idea I would knit Rabiznaz and make him real for the children

THERE IS A COMPLIMENTARY KNITTING PATTERN AT THE BACK OF EACH BOOK for you.

With Rabiznaz now firmly established in my mind and heart, I proceeded to write and paint, and to paint and write my story which is filled with Hearts as you will discover when you read my Book, for my heart was totally involved by now.

And all the while, whilst I was writing and illustrating, I kept the children who might read my Book, in mind. I wanted to give them a very  special Book, a Book like no other they had ever seen before.

WHY?

Because I remember my own childhood with my mother sitting at the window-ledge reading to me. My mother was an artist, musician, a writer of poetry, and a dreamer like myself, and I remember all the lovely stories she read to me from Grimm's Fairy Tales, Aesop's Fables, and the Illustrated Bible wonderful stories that captured my heart and my imagination, mainly because of the illustrations. And I also inherited a flare for writing from my father who was a Journalist and writer too.

This is the type of Book I would give to the Children and the Young at Heart despite any age,namely, a fully illustrated Book!!

Rabiznaz, the Red Colobus Monkey found only in Zanzibar, is the hero of this story, together with his human friend Ettei whom he looks upon as his own daughter.

Together they weave a story of human kindness in the face of adversity!

Last October we went to visit our son Joseph and his family in Vancouver for Thanksgiving.
Whilst we were there we were invited to a friend's place for dinner where we met the now retired Arch Bishop to whom I related my Rabiznaz story.

I wanted his opinion on a Special Light from the Heavens, my way of telling children of a very special event in a very special story, of Biblical proportions.

The Arch Bishop's reply was this:-
" There's something very Pure in that Blue Light as you have described and used it the concept is truly unique and fascinating. "

I was happy to hear this ...... this reply was my Green Light you'll know why when you read the story.

So what is the story about?
It is about unconditional love;
It is about illuminating light;
It is about selflessness;
It is about healing; in a place called Walezo
It is about true friendship and faith; and last but not least, it is the discovery of self in the presence of a special entity who in my Book is named Hewhay!
All brought to you and me by Rabiznaz the Story Teller. He loved telling his family the stories of his fellow primate cousins the Hominids - Us! He surely took us on a Biblical Adventure into the land of Fables and Magic, for he was a magical Colobus Monkey who had the gift of human speech. Every first born Rabiznaz had this gift.

I could not end without telling you about another involvement, besides my brother's photos of the Colobuses in their natural habitat, in my Book.

All mothers and grandmothers here tonight will identify with this next happening. You know how we get drawings and paintings from our children and grandchildren from the time they can hold a pencil or brush in their hands, for Birthdays, Mother's Day and Special Occasions. I have saved all and some I have framed we all do that don't we???

My six grandchildren are all featured in my Book:-

Three with their paintings Mikaela's Green Painting in the vein of Monet at age 6 I have used this painting as an overview of Josani Forest in my Book; as well as her Van Gough rendition of Starry Night at Walezo at age 7; and Little Joseph's Red Swirls on Green paper at age 2,is perfect for a miracle at Walezo; and Sophia's Red and Black blobs fitted well for the Barisphere  at age 2.

The other three grandchildren are characters in the story namely Patrick, Rachel, and Heather I'll leave you to find them in the story.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the Holy Ghost Fathers from Ireland, now known as the Spiritans. They were our Parish Priests in Zanzibar and East Africa.
I wanted to use two verses of their Missionary Hymn "Go Ye Afar" in my Book , so I wrote to the Superior General who resides in Rome, for permission to do so.

He was delighted that I asked but also said I didn't need permission because the Hymn was over 100 years old.  The significance of the hymn is apparent in my Book.

NOW I HAVE A SPECIAL TREAT FOR YOU. SOME OF MY CHILDREN'S CHOIR WILL SING TWO SONGS FOR YOU .... "GO YE AFAR", AND "O HOLY NIGHT" IN ENGLISH, AND IN "SWAHILI AMKA "!

Before I close, I think Rabiznaz would like me to give you two of his final messages.
The first one. "The Crystal Orb of Light is your Heart"
And the second is his "Dare to Dream Great dreams"

In Friday's Cryptograph in the Chronicle Herald, Mike deciphered the following quote which is quite appropriate for this "Dream Inspired" story :-

"Don't look for your Dreams to come true. Look to become true to your Dreams." Michael Beckwith.

I hope I have done just that in Publishing my Book. Dreams do come true you know! Just believe in yourself.

TALKING ABOUT DREAMS, I must tell you that a certain Dream-come-true maker made this, my dream-inspired Book, a reality. I was not going to publish my Book because of the expense. I was pulling out of doing so, but he insisted I do so saying:

" Yvette this was your Dream-inspired Book you've got to have it published."

THANK YOU MIKE FOR MAKING MY DREAM COME TRUE !
YOU ARE THE BEST!!!

And as I wrote in my dedication of my Book:

 "AND OF COURSE MY DEAREST SUSEJ"

THANK YOU
ASANTE SANA
 If you can figure 

 out who this is, you'll figure out my entire Book
So my dearest Friends, I give you :-

                          " RABIZNAZ THE RED COLOBUS MONKEY AND THE CRYSTAL ORB OF LIGHT IN ZANZIBAR "
with a small hint - Decipher the Title of the Book and
uncover the secrets therein.

LOVE YOU

THANK YOU!!!

ASANTE SANA

NOW I want to hear from you. Do you have any questions for me???

Some of you already have the Book. Is there anything you'de like to know more about?
Did you like my Book???
Would you like to come with me to Zanzibar???

I'll be happy to be your guide if you you'll take me with you !

I left Zanzibar for cold wintery Canada, it must have been love, how else would I have met all of you wonderful people???

FOR REFRESHMENTS WE HAD 
MANDAZI, A Zanzibar donut
MKATE TAMU Zanzibar Sweet Bread
CHAI -Spiced Tea
KAHAWA - Coffee
MAJI YA MATUNDA - Fruit punch

MADE BY YVETTE JUST FOR YOU.

LOVE YOU

With this the evening ended and the Reporter who was there told me that the presentation was awesome. I am still on cloud nine. Spent all week sleeping, unwinding and putting things away.
Love you all.

Yvette and Rabiznaz.

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